Good recent article on 2008 Electric Shock Drowning incident

G

gsc3

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 27, 2017
Messages
72
Fluid Motion Model
C-32 C
Hull Identification Number
FMLC2454L516
Vessel Name
Sojourner
MMSI Number
338229582
The most recent EC&M on-line posting has an article "The Case of the Houseboat Electrocution" about a 2008 Electric Shock Drowning incident. This article provides a clear, and I believe accurate, explanation of causes of this tragedy. The link to the article is

https://www.ecmweb.com/ops-amp-maintena ... 7a0bd810ec

If you have not already seen this writeup elsewhere, I recommend that you read it here.

Slade Cargill
 
Too bad you have to register to view the article.
 
This brings to mind a question... is there a tool/device to dangle in the water around a marina/dock that will identify rogue current? If I remember correctly, all it takes is one boat in a marina to leak current into the water, causing accelerated galvanic corrosion and possibly electrocution if a person in the water touches the wrong thing.
 
Excellent... thanks!
 
Mr. Ed":n7mf4az1 said:
This brings to mind a question... is there a tool/device to dangle in the water around a marina/dock that will identify rogue current? If I remember correctly, all it takes is one boat in a marina to leak current into the water, causing accelerated galvanic corrosion and possibly electrocution if a person in the water touches the wrong thing.
Click to expand...

Years ago I had a swimming pool with a faulty pool light which resulted in rogue currents in the pool. The first indication was when I saw all of the kids scrambling out of the water and saying that it was "tingly". I connected one lead of my volt meter to a grounded water pipe and dangled the other lead in the water. It measured a continuous gradient between the pool light and the a grounded pipe, measuring between 117 VAC and 0 VAC as I moved the test lead around the pool. The kids got the largest "tingle" as they climbed out of the pool with the metal ladder. Anyway, I'm thinking that one could do the same experiment at any marina by dangling a volt meter lead in the water with the other lead connected to a water pipe or other earth ground location.

No kids were "over-tingled". Whew!

Marshall
 
In answer to question about devices to test for hazardous in-water electricity, see
https://www.shockalert.com/. . . Slade Cargill
 
For those not familiar with the original poster, Slade Cargill is/was a university level educator and made an excellent presentation on electric shock drowning at the SW Florida Rendezvous in February. He knows his stuff. Here’s a report on an electric shock drowning tragedy that happened about 10 miles from my home.

“About 2030 two dogs jump into water from owners 20 ft. runabout, and were observed to be in great distress. Owner’s wife jumps in to help and was immediately in trouble. Husband goes in to save his wife – both drown. Rescuers felt strong electric shock and could not approach victims, but were able to rescue dogs later. Faulty light switch and missing ground on nearby houseboat determined to be the cause.”

Lots of Tugnutters have pets on their vessels. The lesson here is if your pet gets in water in a marina and becomes distressed, don’t jump in after them. In fact, don’t get in the water in a marina or if outside a marina don’t get in the water if a nearby vessel is running a generator. You may meticulously maintain your boat, but others may not as was the case in the above mentioned tragedy.
 
Was this about the article or to get folks to register for that website.
I wanted to read the article but have no interest in getting registered to
another site who will send me advertising and email I don't want.
Is the article available on an open site?
 
Just Google “Electric Shock Drowning” and you will find lots of articles that will explain well the cause and effect.
 
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